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eyes, but his Talent, he extended his senses toward the dark gray locator,
bordered in purple, that identified Alustre. He ignored the stronger and
closer locators of Tempre, bright blue, and the crimson-gold of Dereka,
instead pressing himself toward the more distant wedge of dark gray.
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Other locators swirled by wedges of amber, brilliant yellow, green, gray . . .
Well beyond stretched a distant purple-black wedge the long translation tube
back to Ifryn, the tube that all too many Ifrits were bribing and forcing
their way into, knowing that Ifryn was dying and that there was too little
time remaining.
With the usual suddenness that ended all translations, the silver barrier
seemed to flash toward Dainyl, hurling him through it.
Dainyl stood on yet another Table in another windowless chamber. He had made
the translation so swiftly that only the slightest hint of frost had appeared
on his flying jacket and uniform, before vanishing.
Dainyl held his Talent shields, but the pair of guards in black and silver
uniforms waiting and watching did not even move as he descended from the
Table. Unlike the Table chamber in Elcien, a set of black-and-silver-bordered
hangings adorned the walls, and each hanging contained a scene featuring an
alector. A long black chest stood against the wall opposite the single
entrance a square arch, in which a solid oak door was set, and on each side of
which sat a guard.
A younger alector in the purple-trimmed green of a Recorder of Deeds stepped
forward.  Marshal Dainyl, welcome to Alustre. We had not expected you, but you
are more than welcome anytime. I am Retyl, Zorater s successor. Behind
Retyl s modest shields lay apprehension.
 Thank you, Retyl. Dainyl smiled politely.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
As a dutiful recorder, I m more than certain that you will do your best to
maintain the stability of the grid, unlike the late recorder in Hyalt.
 Absolutely, sir.
Dainyl could read the consternation behind the calm expression on Retyl s
face, but only continued to smile as he walked to the chamber door.
On each side of the arch in the hallway outside were another pair of alectors,
also wearing black and silver uniforms. They did not speak as Dainyl departed,
walking to the end of the corridor and up the stairs to the main level.
From there, he took the main corridor leading to the west portico. The
passageway was floored in a shimmering silver-gray marble, the octagonal tiles
outlined with thin strips of black marble. Silver-and-black-bordered hangings
decorated the walls. The portico was not paved in marble, but white granite,
and the columns were smooth circular white granite pillars.
Dainyl had not expected a duty coach to be waiting, and indeed, one was not.
While he waited, he occasionally looked at the residence and headquarters of
the High Alector of the East. It was a long and solid white granite structure,
with three stories showing above ground level and two wings angling from the
central rectangular core, and the stone sparkled in the late-morning sun. He
also looked at the cloudy sky, hoping that it didn t rain before he found
transportation.
He had to wait a quarter of a glass before a free hack arrived, but the
indigen driver was more than pleased. ¦  The Myrmidon compound? Yes, sir. Be
half a silver.
 That s fine. Dainyl swung up into the coach.
As the coach carried him away from the parklike grounds surrounding the
residence and along the divided boulevard that ran from the hilltop residence
overlooking Alustre itself to the ring road that encircled the main sections
of the city, Dainyl considered what lay ahead of him. Alcyna was supposed to
be in Alustre, but whether she was or not... that was another question. Still,
the last thing he would have wanted to do was to announce when he was
arriving.
After a time, he looked out at Alustre, a city far more spread out than either
Elcien or Ludar. The sole compact area was around the wharves, packed with
warehouses and factor-ages. Most of Alustre stretched east of the river and
north of Fiere Sound.
The walled eastern Myrmidon headquarters dominated the larger bluff east of
the city proper and overlooked both the river and the ocean, but the driver
pulled up outside the gates, since no non-alectors were permitted within.
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Dainyl got out, handed the driver a half silver and three coppers, and walked
through the unguarded gates toward the headquarters building, also constructed
of perfectly cut and fitted white granite, with blackish green roof tiles.
The duty officer bolted into the entry corridor within moments after Dainyl
stepped through the arched doorway into the building.
 Marshal Dainyl... There was a long pause.  Sir... no one knew.
Dainyl had met her before, but her name escaped him.  No one was supposed to
know. He smiled politely.  Is the sub-marshal in? In her study.
 Yes, sir.
 Good. Thank you. With that, holding full Talent shields, he turned down the
corridor, his boots clicking faintly on the green marble, and walked to the
very end of the hallway, where he stepped through the open door into Alcyna s
study, a space a good, third larger than his spaces as marshal in Elcien.
As before, not that he would have expected any change, the walls were bare
except for a single depiction of the city of Alustre in black ink on white
paper and framed in black and silver. Alcyna glanced up from the wide ebony
table desk and froze if for only a moment.
Then she laughed.  Marshal... you have just demonstrated why you succeeded
Shastylt.
Dainyl had to admire her recovery. He doubted that he could possibly have made
such a rapid adjustment.  And you have proved why my trip here is both
worthwhile and necessary. He gestured at the circular ebony conference table,
with five wooden armchairs set around it, all finished in silver.  If you
would join me.
Alcyna rose gracefully from behind the table desk.  How could I refuse such a
request?
Dainyl seated himself so that he had a view of both the Sound through the wide
south window and of the still open door.  I believe I said this before, but [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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